Broom



Patented Nov. 15, 1927.`

IIELMER., CLEVELANL), OHIO, ASSIGNGR '10 .THEvRE F111 BROOM COMPANY,

A CORPORATO'N OF OHIO.

IBROOM.

Application filed October 8,1923. Serial No. 667,169.

This linvention relates to brooms and the llilre, yand'hfas for its principal object to provide "a broom havinjga removable straw por- Lti'on which is easy to attach to :the handle, 'securely-and rigidly heldin position, and is vneat in appearance.

Another-object of the invention 1s to provide Athe straw portion for said broom of such construction that -`it is less expensive to manufacture Vthan :in the ordinary constructionjo'f 'brooms having the straw portion bound by wire to th'e handle.

'RVi-ththe 'above and other objects in 'view, the "invention will 'be hereinafter lfully described as illustrated in the accompanying dra-wings, andthe novel features thereof will ibe distinctly pointed out inthe appended claims.

"In the drawingssimilar characters of reference are used to indicate lcorresponding parts.

Figure 1 is 4aside elevation of a broom constructed in accordance with my invention, the hollow body 'bei-ng Ein ASection to better show the construction,

aFig. 2 is an edge view of Fig. 1, the holding member being similarly shown7 the hollow bod-y being shown in section,

Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating one-half of the straw portion of the broom bound together bya -strip 'of clotlnand Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the head of one-halfl ofthe straw portion of the broom after completion for sewing to the other half.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a hollow body having inwardly tapering sides 2 and 3 forming a lower elongated open end it, and terminating in any upper center cylintli'ical neck 5, which is internally threaded at 6 for receiving the threaded portion 7 of the handle 8. The inner surfaces of the tapering sides 2 and 3 of 'said hollow body near their lower ends are provided with longitudinal concave depressions 9 and 10, which form opposite ridges or beads at 11-12 and 13-14. The straw portion. indicated by 15, comprises similar halves 16 and 17 which are fixed together by one or more rows of stitching as at 18. Each half of the straw portion of the broom above said rows of stitching is compressed into a head as indicated by 19 and 20, the inner sides of which are inclined at 21 and 22 respectively to yform a tapering or wedge shaped ,recess 23, and the outer sides thereof-are formed with longitudinal grooves 2lb-25 and26-27 corresponding to the ridges -or beads 11f-12 and 13-14 of the sides 2 and 3 respectively for receiving the same. lBetween the longitudinal grooves 24e-25 and 2'6-27 are formed convex surfaces 28 and 29 .correlspending tothe concave depressionen!) and 10 of the sides 2 and 3 for registeringftherewith. Ilnordef to prevent the tearing apart ofthe headfof the straw portion, a strip oficloth, canvas or other suitable material 30 is cemented or otherwise fixed vto the yinner iin'- `clined sides thereof. 'For the purpose offorc- `ing the heads 19 and 2O upwardly against 'the inner surfaces of the incline'dsides .2 and Aengaging the lupper endslof'the heads 19 .and

2O of the straw portion to prevent forcing of said spring vwedge Itightly intor the recess o3 yand thereby make it .diiicult to remove same. The flower end ofthe handle y8 is conical, as indicated by 33, and is adapted to enter the space between the sides ofthe spring wedge 31 and force the sides thereof outwardly as the handle is rotated and thereby advanced due to the action of the threaded portion 7 thereof in the threaded neck 5 of the hollow body 1.

An important feature of this invention is the making of the removable straw portion of the broom. Each half of said straw portion is formed separately and then sewed together at 18. The head portion of each half is first dipped into suitable vulcanizing material such as rubber. a strip of cloth. canvas. or other suitable material is wound around said head portion to form a band 34 for holding same together. which head portion is then compressed into the form shown and described, held under compression, and sub jected to vnlcanizing heat, all by any suit able means as for instance a. heated press. Said band et cloth is cui; at 35 and 36 and the portion thereof at the outer side of the head portion is removed, thereby leaving the strip 30 at the inner' side thereof. l

From the drawings and description, it is readily seen that the straw portion of the broom is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, that the same is easily iiXed into the hollow body l and securely and rigidly held in position by the conical end 33 of the handle 8 spreading the sides of the spring wedge 31 as the handle is turned and this forces the heads 19 and 20 thereof outwardly and their convex surfaces ll and l2 into engagement with the concave depressions 9 and l0 oi' the sides 2' and of the hollowbody.

It will be understood that slight changes in `the details ot' construction may be made within the scope of the claims.

Having :fully described my invention, what I claim is:

l, In a broom, the combination of a straw portion, a hollow body for the straw portion, a wedge constructed of spring sheet material, the wedge having the longitudinal edges of its sides bent outwardly to form flanges for strengthening said sides and for engaging the straw portion to limit the movement ot the wedge, and means for spreading the spring wedge to cause it to secure the straw portion in said hollow body, substantially as described.

2. In a broom, the combination of a straw portion, a` hollow body, the straw portion having spaced heads -for insertion in the hollow body, a wedge formed by bending spring sheet material, the wedge having its longitudinal side edges bent outwardly to form flanges for strengthening same and for engaging theends oil: said heads, and means for spreading the spring wedge to cause it to secure the straw portion in said hollow body, substantially as described.

3. In a broom, the combination of a straw f ing inwardly tapering sides, longitudinal beads sides, heads heads at the inner surfaces oli said tapering said straw portion having spaced having depressions for registering with said beads, a wedge formed of charr-k neled spring sheet material for insertion in the space between said hea-ds, the wedge havfor insertion in the hollow body, the y ing its longitudinal side edges bent out-,`

wardly to torni flanges for strengthening same and for engaging the ends of said heads, a handle threaded in said hollow body, and the handle having a conical end for engaging the sides of said spring wedge for forcing said sides against said heads toy cause same to engage the tapering sides of said hollow body, substantially as described.

5. 1n a broom, the combination of a straw portion, a hollow body, the straw portion being formed of halves, each half of the straw portion having a head, the'heads being arranged opposite each other and in spaced relation, a strip oi: cloth at the inner side of each of said heads, said heads being.V

disposed in said hollow body, a spring wedge arranged'between said heads, and means for spreading the spring wedge to cause it to secure said heads in said hollow body, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof al'liX my signature.

- RALPH E. HELMER. 

